News round-up: ‘Five Guys A Week’ goes global; Smithsonian lands ‘Lost Ships’; Fugitive moves into readymade

Five Guys A Week

Five Guys A Week format goes global

TV2 in Denmark, and unannounced channels and platforms in Canada, Norway and Finland, have picked up format rights to UK prodco Label1’s reality dating show Five Guys A Week, following multiple deals by Fremantle.

The series, which was originally commissioned for Channel 4 in the UK, was also recently acquired in Sweden and France. It sees one single girl invite five guys who are looking for love to move into her home and live with her for a week, all at the same time. Each day, she has to kick one of them out, whittling them down to the last man standing.

The series pulled in the viewers when it premiered on Channel 4 in the UK, with 1.2 million people tuning in to the launch, with 1.4 million the following week.

Rob Clark, Director of Global Entertainment, Fremantle said: “The fact that multiple sales were secured before Five Guys A Week was broadcast in the UK is a testament to the show’s fantastic storytelling and authenticity.

“I’m so proud to see that UK audiences have fallen for the series, and I’m confident that audiences around the world will be equally swept away by its unique and simple concept.”

Lost Fleet

Wartime doc steams to Smithsonian in US, UK

Smithsonian Channel has picked up TVT Productions’ documentary Lost Ships: The Hunt For The Kaiser’s Superfleet for broadcast in both the US and the UK.

The one-off special (1 x 60-minutes in the US and 1 x 90-minutes in the UK) is being produced by TVT in association with Polestar Pictures and follows an underwater search for the location of a fleet of infamous German battleships sunk off the coast of the Falkland Islands in 1914, during one of the first great sea battle of World War One.

The show follows the search team as they face challenges including huge waves, icy conditions and depths of over a mile to the sea floor. The special features CGI graphics and underwater and archive footage to provide the back story to the battle.

“Smithsonian Channel prides itself on bringing world exclusives to its audiences and we are delighted to bring the complete story of this remarkable discovery to television for the first time,” says David Royle, chief programming officer for Smithsonian Channel.

Fugitive picks up Mom vs Matchmaker format

UK production and financing company Fugitive is moving into readymade content with a deal to pick up global distribution rights to dating show Mom Vs Matchmaker, produced by Go Button Media for Canada’s OUTtv.

The addition of the existing four seasons of the show (40 x 30-minutes) marks Fugitive’s first major acquisition, while the company is also pre-selling an additional 10 episodes from the show’s fifth season.

The Canadian version of Mom Vs Matchmaker sees celebrity dating expert Carmelia Ray face off against protective mothers in each episode to see who can find the best date for the the mother’s son or daughter.

Merrily Ross, who joined Fugitive last year, said: “With big characters and hilarious moments, plus a mix of unlikely matches and fledgeling romances, Mom Vs Matchmaker is a highly entertaining and standout dating show for a broad audience – and makes a great co-viewing programme for parents with older children.

“We are delighted to be working with the talented team at Go Button Media and look forward to representing not only the existing four seasons of this show but also the format, which can be readily adapted for broadcasters worldwide.”